According to the forecasts of Refinitiv Commodities Research, in the EU countries, the corn will be planted in an area of 8.7 mln ha in 2023/24 MY, which is 200 thousand ha less than in the previous season, but the grain harvest is expected to be higher than last year – at 64.4 (+12.3) mln tonnes.
Experts note that the reduction in the sown area will be primarily due to the high costs of inputs. However, grain yields are expected to exceed the previous season’s figures, as recent rains have partially reduced concerns about the negative impact of drought in some regions of southern Europe, as well as in France and Germany.
It is also expected that weather conditions in the EU in April will contribute to the accumulation of water reserves in the soil and planting.